1. Field
The invention is in the field of protective covers of flexible sheet material for selected areas of the exterior surfaces of automotive vehicles.
2. State of the Art
Various approaches to protectively covering selected exterior surfaces of automotive vehicles have been made in the past for a number of different purposes, such as preventing burning of or discomfort to the arm of a person resting an arm on the sill of an open window that has been heated by the sun, protecting painted finish of body areas adjacent to parts of an automotive vehicle being worked on by a mechanic or other workman, and protecting exterior painted surfaces of the body of an automotive vehicle from dents and scratches caused by contact with other vehicles while driving or while the vehicle is parked.
One approach to protection against dents and scratches to the door or doors of a passenger automobile is shown by U.S. Pat. No. 3,540,773 of Nov. 17, 1970 wherein rolls of tough, pliant, plastic sheet material are mounted interiorly of the body of the automobile adjacent to the doors thereof so such sheet material can be unrolled and wrapped around the respective doors to be protected and held in place by hooks attached to the free ends of the respective lengths of sheet material. The rolls are provided with springs so as to automatically re-roll the sheet material thereof when the outer ends are released. Another approach is shown by U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,009 of Nov. 17, 1987 wherein longitudinal series of panels are shown for covering the doors and between the doors at opposite sides, respectively, of the body of a passenger automobile, the two series of panels being held together by a saddle strap that extends over the top of the automobile body.
Plastic covers for protecting the hood and sides of the body of a pick-up truck are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,560, the covers being held in place by magnets and bendable, tabular clasps for engaging the vehicle.